Seats and fittings therefor

ABSTRACT

866,540. Seats. DEGEN, H. May 23, 1958 [Nov. 7, 1957], No. 16713/58. Class 52(2). [Also in Group XXV] The rear legs c joined by a cross-bar c&lt;SP&gt;1&lt;/SP&gt; are angularly adjustable about a transverse axis f.

Feb. 7, 1961 H. DEGEN 2,970,637

SEATS AND FITTINGS THEREFOR Filed Oct. 31, 1958 2 Sheets-She et 1 11v /E/VTO/Q H 1/00 D56 al WW Feb. 7, 1961 H. DEGEN 2,970,637 SEATS AND FITTINGS THEREFOR Filed 001;. 31, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN l/EN 729R Hu90 $555M United States Patent 2,970,637 SEATS AND FITTINGS THEREFOR Hugo Degen, Oetlingerstrasse 152, Basel, Switzerland Filed Oct. 31, 1958, Ser. No. 771,142 Claims priority, application Switzerland Nov. 7, 1957 1 Claim. (Cl. 155-77) The present invention relates to a four-legged article of furniture and more particularly to chairs and the like having a back support in which the seat frame, the frame of the back support and the two front legs constitute a rigid unit.

According to the invention the article of furniture is characterized in that the rear legs joined together by a cross-bar are arranged rockably on a cross axis and can be secured in a plurality of positions at different inclinations.

An example embodying the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figs. 1 and 2 are vertical sectionalviews of an embodiment of the invention in two different adjustments.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a portion of the article of furniture comprising the present invention.

The article of furniture according to Figs. 1 and 2 having a back support comprises a frame-work a which forms both the seat frame and the frame of the back support. To the seat frame are secured two front legs b so that the two frames above mentioned and the front legs b together form a rigid unit. The two rear legs 0 are connected together by a cross-bar c1 and are connected to the seat frame rockably on a cross axis. To this end, each of these two rear legs is provided with a fitting consisting of two connecting pieces. The one connecting piece marked d (see Fig. 3) is of sector formand is secured by screws to the inside of the respective frame member. This connecting piece a! has on its periphery inwardly bent projections d1 constituting teeth and similarly inward bent lateral parts d2 which constitute limiting stops. The other connecting piece marked e is of channel section and is secured by screws on the outside of the outer end part of the respective rear leg c. This piece e is provided with a longitudinal slot e1 through which a headed pin f fast to the other connecting piece d passes.

Accordingly, there is a slot and pin joint between the two connecting pieces e and d which permits sliding of the piece e relative to the piece a over the length of the slot e1. At the outer end of the connecting piece e, two lugs e2 are formed disposed symmetrically in relation to its longitudinal midline, between which one of the teeth d1 of the piece d can engage. A part of the margin of the piece e between the lugs is inwardly bent and forms an abutment g between which and the pin f a compression spring h is retained in the bore which extends normal to the slot e1. The spring h urges the connecting piece e 2,970,637 Patented Feb. -7, 1961 outwards and so ensures engagement between the lugs e2 and one of the teeth d1.

In order to move the rear leg c from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, the piece of furniture is tipped forwardly a little, cross-bar 01 is seized and the lugs e2 pulled out of engagement with the teeth of the connecting pieces e against the pressure of the springs h. The rear legs can now be rocked about the pins whereafter upon releasing the cross-bar c1 engagement of the lugs 22 with the teeth of the connecting pieces e is effected by the action of the compression springs h.

The construction can be modified within the scope of the claim. Thus, the illustrated example provides for three possible positions of the rear legs but this number can be decreased or increased. Also it would be possible to provide lugs on the piece d and a tooth on the piece e.

What I claim is:

An article of furniture comprising a rigid unit including a back frame, a seat frame and two front legs, a rear section including two rear legs and a cross-bar rigidly interconnecting said rear legs, means for pivotally securing said rear section to said unit adjacent the lower end of said back frame and the rear end of said seat frame, said means including two slidingly interengaging members, a first of said members being secured to said unit adjacent the rear end of said seat frame, said first member being of sector shape and being provided with side edges interconnected by an arcuate edge facing away from the other member and being provided with inpin and said abutment urging said lugs selectively over said teeth, said abutment extending parallel to said teeth and normal to said lugs and overlying said bore, said first member having a pair of oppositely disposed inwardly bent stops along said side edges, said stops being engageable by said second member to limit movement of said rear section relative to said unit.

, References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 347,446 Stechan Aug. 17, 1886 1,286,421 Rowntree Dec. 3, 1918 1,300,621 Key Apr. 15, 1919 1,836,321 Graham Dec. 15, 1931 2,089,867 Welch Aug. 10, 1937 2,462,560 Schmidt Feb. 22, 1949 2,480,552 Colvez Aug. 30, 1949 2,708,146 Adler May 10, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 70,896 Austria Jan. 10, 1916 581,657 Great Britain Oct. 21, 1946 

